The alluring duo of miso and a sweet vegetable has me under its spell. I can’t resist stirring a touch of the fermented bean paste into a pan of sautéed green peas, for example, or whisking a spoonful into a dressing for roasted sweet potatoes.
The miso rounds out the vegetables’ sweetness with its savory, salty funk, turning a simple side into an excitingly complex flavor experience. What better way to make the most of the tail-end of summer corn season? Go ahead, stir a tablespoon or so of miso into a skillet of fresh corn next time you are cooking it. You’ll quickly see why I’m so enamored. Here I ran with the unbeatable corn-miso combination, turning it into a chowder with tender bites of salmon, making it a satisfying meal-in-a-bowl.
Start by sautéing onion, bell pepper, celery and potato in a soup pot, then add a quart of broth (chicken or vegetable) and simmer to cook the potato, which thickens the soup once it’s pureed. (Use a yellow bell pepper to keep the soup’s color gorgeously golden.)
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Then add most of the corn — just-picked fresh is best, but frozen will work, too — and cook it until tender, before pureeing the mixture into a smooth and creamy soup.
The final stage, where you stir in the miso and simmer the salmon as well as the rest of the corn kernels, sets you up for an unforgettable meal. Served topped with a generous spray of fresh scallions and a drizzle of hot sauce, it’s a hearty chowder with a unique flavor that’s utterly enchanting.
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